KENNY Roberts Jr finished 14th in Sunday's rain-hit Australian MotoGP, one of the riders to come off worst in the first race ever that riders called into the pits to change motorcycles in response to worsening weather and conditions.

Roberts had qualified fourth at Phillip Island on his Banbury-built Team Roberts bike, and was lying eighth in a close pack of riders when the rain made the track treacherous. He slipped off, remounting at the back of the field to be one of the last to call into the pits to change to his spare machine, fitted with wet-weather tyres and brakes.

All had started on slick tyres, but after six of 26 laps, the track was fully wet in some parts, and all riders pitted to change bikes, in accordance with the "flag-to-flag" rule introduced last year to prevent race stoppages.

His spare bike hampered him further, with a loose throttle twist-grip.

The 2000 World Champion was taciturn after the race, disappointed that he had been prevented by mechanical problems from displaying his well-known prowess in wet conditions.

Roberts is now seventh in the World Championship after 14 races.